Mosquito bites can be intensely itchy, but a Harvard-trained doctor has shared a scientifically backed method that may help stop the itch quickly and for free
There’s a scientifically proven way to make mosquito bites stop itching in seconds (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
As Britain swelters in the grip of a heatwave, with the mercury hitting 35C in some areas, expect to see more insects buzzing about, mosquitoes included.
Mosquitoes typically start appearing across the country from April or May, reaching their peak during the sweltering summer months of July and August. Depending on how mild autumn is, they can remain active well into September and October before either dying off or going into hibernation.
While mosquito bites aren’t generally dangerous or harmful in Ireland, assuming they don’t carry disease, their bites can be annoying and incredibly itchy.
Though the itching typically eases within a few days, there are simple, scientifically proven tricks to stop it almost instantly. Harvard-trained doctor and author Dr Trisha Pasricha has taken to social media to share her knowledge.
The expert revealed a science-backed method to halt mosquito bite itching in seconds. She pledged: “If you get bitten by a mosquito, I’m gonna tell you something that’s literally gonna change your life”, reports the Mirror.
“Do not scratch,” Dr Trisha cautioned, echoing advice many of us have heard countless times.
She continued: “Instead, do what I’m doing: just rub it gently with two fingers.” The medical expert demonstrated the technique by rubbing her own mosquito bite with two fingers several times.
After her video demonstration, she explained: “That’s it. The itch is gone. I didn’t scratch it. I didn’t inflame it and make it a million times worse. I just rubbed it gently.”
Dr Trisha went on to highlight a recent study from scientists at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, who found that gently stroking the skin can halt the itch signal before it takes hold.
When a mosquito bite occurs, the nerve fibres in the skin become activated in an irregular, patchy fashion. It’s the difference between some fibres being irritated while others remain untouched that creates the itching sensation.
With this understanding, softly rubbing on and around the bite area produces a strong counter-signal that overrides the uncomfortable one, effectively stopping the itch from reaching the brain.
Dr Trisha suggests this approach can also work well for relieving the itch from eczema, making it a remarkably handy trick.
She explained: “If we rub just like this, we actually remove the contrast. And here’s the coolest part, you don’t actually have to rub the area where you got bitten. You just have to rub somewhere in the same dermatome.”
The comment section quickly filled up with responses from thankful viewers. One person remarked: “My entire life I’ve been scratching around bites, I could’ve just been rubbing them!”
Another shared: “I have done this unintentionally (trying to keep from scratching) and it works!” While a third commented: “I just tried this with an eye itch… rubbed round the orbital but not the delicate part… it worked!!”
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